"It's a very simple game. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Sometimes it rains."
(Bull Durham)

Monday, July 23, 2012

Random Trade Stuff, Past & Present

The Pirates made it pretty clear that they will add to the roster
only on their terms. Not only are they holding back Starling Marte and
the Three Amigos (Rudy Owens, Jeff Locke, Justin Wilson) at Indy, but
the media was told by Neal Huntington that "We don't have to acquire a starting pitcher. We don't have to acquire a bat. We can go pick what we want to get if it's a player or two, or if the acquisition cost is just exorbitantly high we stay with what we have." That's partially due to their "build from within" philosophy, partially due to compensation changes in the new CBA
that provide less value for rental players, and partially due to the second wildcard muddying up the marketplace.

Dejan Kovacevic of the Tribune Review thinks that the FO should get crackin' and bring in an outfielder and pitcher. Pedro Alvarez disagrees, telling the media that “I think we have all the components necessary to be able to succeed and
keep succeeding. I think we have the right chemistry and the right
group of guys. I just love the dynamic we have with this team.”

Players aren't the only bangles in play. GM Neal Huntingtontold Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune Review he is open to trading the extra 2013 draft pick the team won in the competitive balance lottery. “It’s another asset for us,” he said. “It’s no different than a prospect in our system who we’ve placed a value
on.” The pick is the second in the sandwich round of next year's draft.

The marketplace should begin to firm up soon, though. Danny Knobler of CBS Sports writes that after being swept by the Reds, the Brewers are ready to become sellers. And after this weekend, the Pirates probably added Miami to that list.

One of their targets will cost an arm and a leg. Buster Olney of ESPNreports that "The Padres have asked the Pirates for a significant package of prospects for Chase Headley, as they have with all teams." JJ Cooper of Baseball America thinks the asking price is a combination of Jameson Taillon and Starling Marte which is indeed significant.

Tom Smith of Rumbunter posted the reasons why the Flyin' Hawaiian Shane Victorino shouldn't be in Black and Gold this summer. It's about performance, not the rental fee. But Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune Reviewtweets that the Pirate FO sees it differently; it's about cost, not play.

Scrub Ryan Dempster from the available arms (not that the Pirates were said to be in on him); Mark Bowman of MLB.comtweets that he's on his way to Atlanta. (Edit - whoops! May be a hang-up per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports)

You might remember when RHP Edwin Jackson turned down the Pirates' reported 3 year/$30M offer during the off season to sign a one year deal with the Nats. Well, he's leaving Scott Boras now, and will be repped by the Legacy Agency, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. It worked out OK for the Pirates, though - a couple of weeks later they dealt for AJ Burnett, presumably playing with some of the money Jackson left on the table.

A dark day in history: In 2003, the Pirates pulled the trigger on Dave Littlefield's hugest fire sale, maybe only equaled by the Ralph Kiner giveaway in Pirate annals, when they dumped the salaries of OF Kenny Lofton and 3B Aramis Ramirez, plus cash, to the Chicago Cubs for SS Jose Hernandez, RHP Matt Bruback and 2B Bobby Hill.

7 comments:

I would not give the Padres both Taillon and Marte for Headley. I'd rather keep them both if that's the price. I would certainly deal them a package that revolved around, say, Rudy Owens or Jeff Locke or Whatsisface Wilson and Robby Grossman, though. I'd throw in a third prospect if that's what it took. Or, they could do Alex Presley so the Padres would have an immediate replacement for Headley, along with Owens/Locke/Wilson and a lesser prospect. I like Headley and think he's a better than average - to - good major leaguer, but I don't think he's worth both Taillon and Marte.

My guess, Will, is after they signed Quentin that the Padres are looking to adding MLB pieces than go full boogie rebuild, and so they're either gonna get players to plug in immediately or keep Headley; it's a win-win for SD. Marte could start for them tomorrow, and Taillon in 2014 or so.

Thanks, Red. And I sure am glad that Samardzija is gone until next week! I really don't look forward to Rzepczynski, either. I am surprised that I didn't type in Dumpster, though. Trade deadlines are real sleep (and brain) killers!

Talk It Up

If you have any thoughts to share or an idea for a future post, we're all ears. Give us a shout atThe Green Weenie. And by all means, let your voice be heard and leave a comment. We enjoy the chatter.

One rule: if you want to leave a relevant link, or a link to your site, that's fine with us; the more the merrier. But if you're trying to sell stuff or are leaving flaming posts, we zap it, no questions asked.